Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Demand still strong for India-made AstraZeneca vaccine: Gavi

Demand still strong for India-made AstraZeneca vaccine: Gavi

GLOBAL vaccine-sharing network Covax is still seeing strong demand for India-made doses of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 shot, its co-lead Gavi said, following comments from producer Serum Institute of India (SII) that uptake had slowed sharply.

The SII, the world's biggest vaccine maker, told India's CNBC-TV18 this week it would temporarily halve the vaccine's production as it had no fresh orders from the Indian government and Covax was taking fewer doses than the company could offer.


SII CEO Adar Poonawalla, whose company brands the shot Covishield, said Covax was placing orders but "that's very slow and the uptake will pick up in the next quarter". Covishield production is currently at 250 million doses a month.

Gavi said Covax had allocated 40 million Covishield doses to countries after New Delhi last month let the SII resume such supplies for the first time since April, and that it had the option to buy vaccines keeping a "flexible approach as the pandemic and countries' needs continue to evolve".

"We are still experiencing robust country demand for SII-Covishield," a Gavi spokesperson said in an email.

"Covishield will continue to play an important role within Covax’s diverse portfolio of vaccines ... to achieve higher coverage rates in lower-income countries."

Asked about the speed of vaccine orders and uptake, Gavi said the process takes time as doses need to be allocated to beneficiaries, plans put in place to administer them, approvals secured and shipment delivered.

"Covax's goal is to protect populations as quickly as possible but every care must be taken to ensure recipient countries are able to deploy the doses we send them," Gavi said.

"And this is why it is so important that all manufacturers provide as much transparency as possible as to when and in what quantity volumes will be supplied."

The SII has a deal to supply up to 550 million Covishield doses to Covax but has sent only about 37 million so far.

(Reuters)

More For You

Apple India Reroutes 97% of iPhones to US Amid Tariff Push

Apple iPhones are seen inside India's first Apple retail store in Mumbai, India, April 17, 2023.

REUTERS

Foxconn sends 97 per cent of India iPhone exports to US amid tariff push

NEARLY all iPhones exported by Foxconn from India between March and May were shipped to the United States, according to customs data reviewed by Reuters.

The data showed that 97 per cent of Foxconn’s iPhone exports during this period went to the US, significantly higher than the 2024 average of 50.3 per cent.

Keep ReadingShow less
Weaker labour market data sparks debate on rate cuts

The Bank of England is weighing inflation signals ahead of rate call

Weaker labour market data sparks debate on rate cuts

PAY growth in Britain slowed sharply and unemployment rose to its highest level in nearly four years in the three months to April, official figures showed on Tuesday (10), potentially reducing the Bank of England’s (BoE) caution over further interest rate cuts.

Wage growth excluding bonuses slowed to 5.2 per cent, the weakest pace since the three months to September, and fell more than expected from 5.5 per cent in January to March this year.

Keep ReadingShow less
London Tech Week: Indian firms show investment intent

Keir Starmer at London Tech Week in London on Monday (9)

London Tech Week: Indian firms show investment intent

MORE THAN 350 technology companies from India joined London Tech Week, which began on Monday – making it the largest-ever delegation from the country to attend the event.

London mayor Sadiq Khan’s office, City Hall, described the rise in Indian participation as a reflection of deepening ties between India and London’s tech sectors, following the recent signing of the India– UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

Keep ReadingShow less
London Tech Week

The discussion around inclusivity and parenthood is likely to remain in the spotlight.

Getty Images

London Tech Week: Woman entrepreneur says she was humiliated after being denied entry for bringing baby

A female entrepreneur has said she felt “absolutely humiliated” after being denied entry to London Tech Week because she was accompanied by her 18-month-old daughter.

Davina Schonle, founder and chief executive of AI start-up Humanvantage AI, had travelled from her home to attend the event at Olympia on Monday, 10 June. She said she had made a three-hour journey to London with her daughter, Isabella, only to be turned away on arrival because children were not allowed into the venue.

Keep ReadingShow less
Smartless Mobile launched by podcast trio

The move marks the first commercial spin-off from the Smartless podcast

Getty Images

Smartless podcast trio launches Smartless Mobile as low-cost phone service

The hosts of the popular Smartless podcast, actors Will Arnett, Jason Bateman and Sean Hayes, have launched a new mobile phone service in the United States. Called Smartless Mobile, the service offers a budget-friendly alternative to traditional phone plans and is aimed at users who spend most of their time connected to WiFi.

The move marks the first commercial spin-off from the Smartless podcast, which is known for its celebrity interviews and humorous tone. The new venture was announced in early June 2025 and has already begun accepting sign-ups across the US mainland and Puerto Rico.

Keep ReadingShow less